Gina

WOW! Been a while since I posted in this thread!. I'm now looking at redesigning the 3D printed main frame and remote focussing system to achieve better results than the current arrangement and cater better for the new 8 hole ZWO EFW. Currently the focus motor bracket is attached to the dovetail bar rather than the lens and when the camera is rotated the focus is lost. I shall be designing a motor bracket that is fastened to the fixed part of the lens and will therefore rotate with it as the camera and EFW are rotated. It would also be nice to arrange that the camera can be remotely rotated. This is an earlier photo of the WF rig on the EQ8.

The hotend heatsink cooling on this printer uses a radial fan without any ducting to concentrate the airflow through the fins. To test that this would be adequate I made a small modification to the same part on my Concorde printer then checked the heatsink temperature when printing PETG at 240°C - it ran quite cool even with only half the heatsink being cooled.

I'm seriously considering solar Ha either imaging or possibly observing. I expect to pursue that next spring when I hope for some better weather. To do both solar and DSO imaging I plan to add a second pier and mini/micro observatory for my widefield rig. ATM I have my WF rig on my EQ 8 mount where it looks ridiculous.

Now to work out what depth the printer needs to accommodate the extra Y dimension. The full Y range can be produced with a 362mm Y bar and 2x 13mm thickness of mini linear rail. This gives a total of 362 + 26 = 388mm. To allow for tolerances I think I'll make this 390mm. Next to work out how this can be cut from the 900mm x 900mm x 18mm sheet of plywood. The inside width has already been determined as 410mm. Since the back, front and base fit inside the sides, this will be the cut width. Overall height of the box (outside) will be half the height of the ply less cutting, so a little less than 450mm. Width of the side panels will be 390mm (from above) plus twice the plywood thickness ie. 390 + 2x18 = 390 + 36 = 426mm. Base will be 410mm x 390mm. This gives a total width of plywood of 410 + 426 + 5(ish) = 841mm Add another 5mm for the cutting gives 846mm and therefore just 54mm wide strip left. Adding up the back and base from the height of the board, we get 457.5mm + 5mm + 390mm + 5mm = 857.5mm leaving a strip of about 42.5mm. I was hoping it would be 100mm to use as the top front piece. However, I have some 18mm plywood left over from making my Concorde printer that I can use in necessary.

Went on to design the XY Carriage - what on a standard 3D printer would be the X Carriage but in this case runs on two round bars at right-angles. This carries extruder & motor, hotend with heater block and nozzle plus Z probe and cooling fans for the hotend heatsink and parts-cooler. Four linear bearings run on the two cross-bars. As a result of the design model and comparison with the print bed size, the depth has had to be increased a bit to give full bed cover. Here are some screenshots.

Me too but working towards it... Slowly..

Sadist!!! 🤣

These posts ring so true!! I too am on medication for depression and have been all my life like my father before me. Mostly I have it under control but I surely must be deluded to do astro imaging in the UK on a limited budget. Though I doubt budget really has a lot to do with it. No amount of money can conjure up photons that are just not there!!

Brilliant - well done.

I probably said, I'm designing and building a completely new printer using these linear rails. Just a little one but more complicated. I'm still working on the design.

+1

The X and Y drive systems.

Aliens have landed!!! 🤣

Update...

If the belts run with centre line 25mm from the sides of the box, the pulleys and hence want to come to 20mm from the box sides. So with X=440 and Y=340 the axles will be 400mm and 300mm.

Assembly with box hidden.

Looks like you need a good head for heights 😄 Certainly amazing!

I made an online weather station dashboard for my website. Ran from my own automatic weather station. The code was written in Python.

I had a period of a year or two when I was thoroughly disillusioned. Then I recovered - even bought some more gear! Now it's getting frustrating again. I don't really want to give up astro imaging but...

I was up there many years ago in the winter. Just got out in a blizzard before they closed the road!! I escaped south! 😄 Beautiful scenery in decent weather.

Please be very careful with a chainsaw - they can be vicious!! Wear protective clothing, including goggles and ear defenders.

Started printed parts production starting with the bracket that attaches to the mini rail slider and takes the cross-bars for X and Y. The holes on the top are to take bolts and straps to hold the ends of the timing belt. Design was altered to make 3D printing easier. Front. Back

Amazing!

Assembly update.